Interactive VR-based visualization for material flow simulations

The conventional way of visualizing the material flow in a production system is to use simulation tools and their integrated symbols and pictograms. By going this way, the reference to the real production system is very limited since conventional material flow models provide only an abstract view and are not very comprehensive for the user. This paper introduces a procedure which enables a Virtual Design Review of the planned process layout on a large-screen visualization facility. This enables production planners to conduct a virtual inspection of alternative concepts for a planned production system including the visualized material flow. As a result, planning certainty and system comprehension of all parties involved increase significantly, so that the presented procedure serves as a valuable decision support. This paper describes the steps to be taken from production data to an optimized material flow being verified by a Virtual Design Review.